[GLLUG] laser printer for linux

[Michael George]

By "not interested in latest bells and whistles" I mean that it doesn't
need a duplexer, color, wireless, ethernet, etc.  I would be content to
plug it into a USB or parallel port.  If I find one with some of those
features that is reasonably priced and works easily, that will be okay,
too.  It sounds like the Brother printers are pretty solid for working
with Linux.  I think I will lean in that direction.  Though if I could
find a simple HP printer which did true PostScript, I'd be willing to
pay more...  :-)

Thanks for all the advice, everyone!

On Tue, Nov 29, 2011 at 04:33:52PM -0500, Marr wrote:
> On Tuesday 29 November 2011 13:01:10 Michael George wrote:
> > I'm running gentoo on my server at home.  My little Brother 1250 seems
> > to have printed its last page yesterday.  I have no bitterness, he's
> > served me well for many years.  But now I need a new printer.
> > 
> > I saw a thread a while back saying that Konica makes a good PS
> > compatible color later printer.  I will look into that one, but I'm
> > wondering what others might recommend for B&W?  I am more interested in
> > one which will set up and work with little time invested on my part than
> > I am in one with all the latest bells & whistles.
> > 
> > Anyone have any good recommendations?
> 
> I'll quote the relevant part of my original reply to the author (Tom Schouten) 
> of that thread (from 27-28 Oct 2011 if you're checking the archives):
> 
> "You might want to check out Brother printers. Although the DCP-7040 (USB 
> monochrome laser printer + scanner / photocopier) that I'm familiar with 
> doesn't meet most of your [Tom's] criteria, the Linux printer and scanner 
> drivers are all available on Brother's website and it's been working flawlessly 
> under Slackware 13.1."
> 
> That printer doesn't see a lot of use (so I cannot give any long-term 
> reliability reports) and there are parts of it that seem a bit "flimsy" (e.g. 
> plastic lid hinges), so I would not want to put it in a shared (commercial 
> office) environment where it would see rough handling, but I'd rate it very 
> highly in the "value for the dollar" department.  And, as I stated in my 
> previous post, the Linux support is there.  The scanner/photocopier with 35-
> page (IIRC) auto-sheet-feeder is a nice feature.
> 
> Unfortunately, the DCP-7040 is no longer sold at NewEgg, which is where I 
> bought it (for $140 + $3 shipping) back in Jan 2011. But I suspect several of 
> the similar Brother models would be comparable, e.g. MFC-7360N ($190 + $3 
> shipping) or MFC-7460DN ($240 + $2 shipping).
> 
> BTW, it might help folks to give better recommendations if you'd state roughly 
> what your budget for this printer is.  And maybe what you consider to be 
> "bells and whistles" (scanner? sheet-feeder? fax? networking? wireless? 
> duplexing?).
> 
> HTH....
> 
> Regards,
> Bill
> 

-- 
-M

Rident stolidi verba Latina.
                        -Ovid